The Death of a Parksman

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Our national parks are dying, and you are the problem.

Ever since the inception of national parks as “a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people” in 1872, tourists and nature enthusiasts alike have flooded these natural habitats across the United States for years (James). Often, however, the lines blur between wildlife refuge and entertainment attraction, and this dissolution of boundaries takes a drastic toll on the environments of these iconic parks. 

In the past decade, national park tourism has increased by almost 30%, and this most often affects the wilderness and wildlife these parks seek to protect (theguardian.com). According to a recent article published by Outside Magazine, “overcrowding remains common at the most popular national parks, and the Park Service faces a maintenance backlog of nearly $12 billion” (Bullinger). With increasing tourist populations and budget costs, the parks have struggled especially to maintain a grip on crowd control, which affects the park infrastructure and ecosystem stability. Outdoor activities, such as fishing, climbing, skiing, and camping have caused an increase in human-environment contact. As Yale University professor Susan Clark states in The Guardian,“The basic question is, ‘What is the appropriate relationship with humans and nature?’ We as a society have not been clear about what that ought to be, and so it’s really, really messy and nasty.”

Some of the most common transgressions against the wilderness in national parks include straying off designated paths, wrongly interacting with wildlife and animals, and removing wildlife from its natural habitat. This often proves dangerous for both the tourists and the wildlife, and ultimately costs Park Services a tremendous amount of money in regulation and reparation. National Geographic cites estimated costs for maintenance of Yellowstone National Park at $633 million, and over $200 million for Grand Teton National Park. With budget cuts from the Trump administration, these costs could prove even more detrimental in the future. 

Because of this, one should consider the value of visiting such parks and contributing to these issues. While the majestic views and once-in-a-lifetime experiences may be enjoyable for a short time, continued negligence may result in the loss of these hallowed grounds forever. As these environments diminish, officials and tourists alike must determine the most beneficial cost-gain relationship, so the national parks of America may remain unadulterated natural grounds for generations to come. 

- Taylor Lemoine

Bullinger, Jake. “Have 50 Years of Overcrowded Parks Taught Us Nothing?  .” Outside Online, Outside Magazine, 30 Mar. 2018, www.outsideonline.com/2292951/have-50-years- overcrowded-parks-taught-us-nothing.

James, Charlie Hamilton, et al. “Booming Tourism Becomes a Stress Test for Yellowstone.” Yellowstone National Park, National Geographic Society, 4 Apr. 2016, www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/05/yellowstone-national-parks-tourism/.

“Record Tourism in National Parks Comes with Increasing Threats – Antsy Humans.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 28 Aug. 2016, www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/28/national-parks-tourism-bad-behavior.